The Congo's Agricultural Economy in Brief

Excerpts from the report: The large area of the Republic of the Congo and the wide range of altitudes and climates make possible the growing of a variety of crops. Some are suited to the tropics; others are usually grown in the temperate zones. Tropical tree crops for export make up a large part of the agricultural product. These include palm oil and palm kernels (produced from the same trees), coffee, rubber, bananas, cocoa, tea, and cinchona (for quinine). Classified another way, oilseeds make up a large proportion of agricultural production. In addition to palm products, the Congo harvests cottonseed, peanuts, and a little sesame. Food crops for domestic use include cassava (manioc), plantains (cooking bananas), sweetpotatoes, corn, grain sorghum, millet, rice, peas and beans, and sugarcane. Agricultural products made up 28 percent of all exports in 1963. Earlier, the proportion had varied from a third to a half. The three main agricultural exports are palm produce, coffee, and rubber. Before independence, cotton exports were also important. Cotton is now imported. Agricultural imports in 1963 comprised 24 percent of all imports. This is a rather high proportion in comparison with other countries of tropical Africa. The United States was by far the leading supplier of agricultural products to the Congo, accounting for well over half.